The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has highlighted the importance of checking NOTAMs after a Fairchild Merlin was damaged attempting to take off from a closed runway.
SA226-T Merlin VH-LDQ was damaged at Gunnedah in August last year when the main undercarriage hit runway works in the take-off roll. The left gear leg collapsed and the aircraft veered off the runway. The pilot, the only person on board, was uninjured.
According to the ATSB report released yesterday, the airport had been closed for runway works, but the pilot failed to check the NOTAMs before attempting to depart for the Gold Coast.
The ATSB also found the airport operators had not adequately marked the airport as closed because they didn't have the current Manual of Standards.
"The ATSB investigation found that during pre-flight planning, the pilot had not checked for relevant NOTAMs, including one stating that Gunnedah Airport was closed due to works in progress,” ATSB Director Transport Safety Dr Stuart Godley expained.
“An essential component of pre-flight planning is to check all NOTAMs relevant to the planned flight."
The investigation also found that while the work crew was away on their lunch break there was no works safety officer on site. Also, although a white cross had been placed at the main windsock to alert aircraft arriving overhead, there were no unserviceability markings on the runway that could be seen from the ground.
Both measures are required by the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations Part 139 Manual of Standards (MOS) for Aerodromes.
“Aerodrome works staff were not aware of updated MOS requirements that had come into effect seven days earlier, and had interpreted the superseded MOS to not require unserviceability markings if the whole aerodrome was closed,” Dr Godley said.
The full report is on the ATSB website.